We all have enormous patterns that we follow every waking moment of our lives. These patterns (habits) are automatic and come to define “who we are”. Some of these habits make us feel proud of ourselves, but others we hate to acknowledge, even to ourselves. 

We make New Year’s resolutions to give up or commit ourselves to developing a new habit. Some of us even make “new month resolutions”—that’s how hard we try to get rid of those irritating patterns which just do not seem to leave control of our lives. 

Let's try to understand the process. Our body and, more importantly, our mind is an automatic sorting machine. Our body (including the brain) is programmed to find balance within. If it detects a virus that can harm the body, what happens? The body automatically gets to work. It starts producing as many and as powerful antibodies as are needed to fight this enemy who is entering its system to create chaos. 

The routines that we follow, day-in and day-out, are nothing more than our body’s way of keeping itself in equilibrium. From moment to moment, this natural machine senses imbalances. If we are asserting to finish a project and our body feels tired, it fights from within to help us meet our goals. If it needs help, we will be prompted to be at its service. Of course, for our own goals in sight.

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That cup of coffee that we drink, that posture that we stand in, that extra bite that we take even after realising we will end up overeating, I can go on and on. But you know what I am talking about.

All these actions defy the logic of our brilliant minds. Why did I do it? I knew I should not have done it. But at that moment, something took over and all the logic seemed less and less powerful in deciding what I do in that moment.

The hidden power that takes over every time we are about to fall in the vicious cycle, is our body asserting its need to maintain the balance. 

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You know what makes it even more difficult to get rid of the habits?

It’s our memory of all those actions that have helped our body to maintain balance in the past. Yes, that’s how powerful a machine we are. Our mind, wonderfully, stores the memories of what worked last week, last year, last decade, even when we were little. 

Once again, it’s automatic, spontaneous, without any conscious effort. Our mind, in service of our body, diligently sorts experiences as helpful or not helpful, towards moment-to-moment survival; this is the task that nature has assigned to our mind. 

Now there is plenty of research, from the study of different species, to show clearly that many organisms have this capacity to remember experiences; even those species that do not have a neurological system as developed as humans. So, imagine how much more efficient our minds would be in making sure that we would not only survive but leave a mark to be remembered by future generations to come. 

So the next time you are tough on yourself, feeling all defeated and devastated, remember this reality: you are up against the world’s most powerful systems.

Doctors for Why is it so difficult to change our habits?
Dr. Prince Asrani

Dr. Prince Asrani

Psychology
2 Years of Experience

Dr. Shivani Singh

Dr. Shivani Singh

Psychology
3 Years of Experience

Dr. Ansha Patel

Dr. Ansha Patel

Psychology
11 Years of Experience

Dr. Sapna Zarwal

Dr. Sapna Zarwal

Psychology
19 Years of Experience

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